Beverage-dispensing apparatus having transverse and vertical rows of bottles

Claim 2

Apparatus for dispensing beverages comprising the combination of: a plurality of necked glass receptacles, each receptacle having an axis, The axes of all said receptacles being substantially parallel, each of said receptacles being in a transverse row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a vertical row of a plurality of said receptacles, a rack, each receptacle attached to said rack by a clamping device, each of said devices comprising a main frame, a member extending laterally from said main frame, closure means supported by said laterally extending member, a supporting member to act against the bottom of the receptacle, said supporting member received slidably in said main frame, means to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame, said closure means comprising first and second passages extending upwardly and downwardly therethrough, each of said passages provided with upwardly extending means to receive a flexible tube in attached communicating relation thereto, said first passage provided with downwardly extending means to receive a flexible dip tube in attached communicating relation thereto, flexible tube means connecting said passages, compressor means to provide compressed air, means to regulate the pressure of said air, flexible tube means to introduce air at such regulated pressure into at least one receptacle in each row through one of said second passages, flexible tube means communicating with said first passages to deliver contents from the receptacles with which said passages communicate.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said closure means comprises tubular means to project into the neck of said receptacle and is provided with a sealing member of resilient material received on said tubular means, said sealing member having a conically shaped outer surface to seal against an internal surface portion of said neck.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receptacles are connected in series.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein an accumulator is provided in each of said tube means to introduce air.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 provided with means to prevent said supporting member from slidably dropping away from said main frame.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein setscrew means are provided to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said main frame is a single member and consists of a portion cut from an aluminum extrusion.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said supporting members is provided with a member of resilient material to bear against the bottom of the receptacle.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 1 for dispensing beverages comprising the combination of: a plurality of necked glass receptacles, each receptacle having an axis, the axes of all said receptacles being substantially parallel, each axis tilted at from 10* to 30* from vertical, each of said receptacles being in a transverse row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a lateral row of a plurality of said receptacles, and in a vertical row of a plurality of said receptacles, a rack, each receptacle attached to said rack by a clamping device, each of said devices comprising a mainframe, a member extending laterally from said main frame, a closure supported by said laterally extending members, a supporting member to act against the bottom of the receptacle, said supporting member received slidably in said main frame, means to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame, said closure comprising first and second passages extending upwardly and downwardly therethrouGh, each of said passages provided with upwardly extending means to receive a flexible tube in attached communicating relation thereto, said first passage provided with downwardly extending means to receive a flexible dip tube in attached communicating relation thereto, flexible tube means connecting said passages, compressor means to provide compressed air, means to regulate the pressure of said air, flexible tube means to introduce air at such regulated pressure into at least one receptacle in each row through one of said second passages, flexible tube means communicating with said first passages to deliver contents from the receptacles with which said passages communicate.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said closure comprises tubular means to project into the neck of said receptacle and is provided with a sleeve of resilient material received on said tubular means, said sleeve having a conically shaped outer surface to seal against an internal surface portion of said neck.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said closure is a single plastic injection molding.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said receptacles are connected in series.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said receptacles are connected in parallel.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9 provided with means to prevent said supporting member from slidably dropping away from said main frame.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein setscrew means are provided to releasably fixedly position said supporting member in said main frame.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said main frame is a single member and consists of a portion cut from an aluminum extrusion.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said laterally extending member is a square beam and is received in a laterally extending square passage in said closure.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each of said supporting members is provided with a member of resilient material to bear against the bottom of the receptacle.